Take a trip to The Museum of Norwich at the Bridewell, and marvel at recreated Victorian shop windows crammed with gifts, trinkets and hand stitched Valentine’s cards on display.

Learn all about how Norwich had its own special celebrations on 13th February - St. Valentine’s Eve, and how for weeks beforehand newspapers were full of advertisements for ‘Useful and Ornamental Articles Suitable for the Season’ available from local retailers.

During this time, shops took on extra staff and Norwich bustled with people making secret purchases. Clocks, umbrellas, workboxes, vases, tea caddies and shawls, jigsaw puzzles and writing desks were all bought as Valentine gifts.

Just as at Christmas time, young and old were included in the festivities. As soon as it got dark on St. Valentine’s Eve, people began knocking on doors and leaving presents on doorsteps. Gifts were presented anonymously, labelled only ‘Good Morrow Valentine’.